Flange protecting rail anchor



Jun 20, 1939. H G R-R 2,163,299

FLANGE PROTECTING RAIL ANCHOR Filed March 12, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hill June 20, 1939. w 2,163,299

FLANGE PROTECTING RAIL ANCHOR Filed March 12, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v i I ZZZ/0h 67 Q/arr June 20, 1939. H G R 2,163,299

FLANGE PROTECTING RAIL ANCHOR Fil'ed March 12, 1938 v 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented June 20, 1939 FLANGE PROTECTING RAIL ANCHOR Harold G. Warr, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to Poor & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 12, 1938, Serial No. 195,430

19 Claims.

This invention relates to' improvements in rail anchoring devices of the general class adapted to clampingly grip the rail at a location to bear against a side face of a cross-tie or other stationary part of the road-bed and having one or more jaws formed to overlie the base portion of the rail.

The above general class of devices comprises rail anchors of various specific constructions, some being composed of separable parts and others being of unitary construction adapted to be applied on the rail by bodily movement of the anchor transversely of the rail. A feature .of construction common to the various forms of such anchors is that the rail gripping jaw or jaws thereof overlie a top surface of the base portion of the rail at one side .of the rail supporting structure. In such situations, the overlying jaws of the anchors are frequently struck by derailed wheels and thereby punched through the base flange of the rail or the flange is otherwise damaged to such extent as to make it necessary to remove the rail from the track.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a rail anchoring device of the above general class which is so formed as to prevent notching or other damage to the base flange of a rail in the event that the jaw portions of the anchor device are struck by a derailed wheel or by dragging rigging of a car.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a rail anchor device which, in addition to protecting the rail flange from damage in the event of derailment'of a car wheel, is so formed as to provide rail gripping surfaces of suitable width to exert an increased gripping action on the rail base flange when the under-rail portion of the anchor is pressed against the rail supporting. structure.

According to the present invention, provision is made whereby the impact force of a derailed wheel, when the latter strikes an anchor device, is transmitted to a portion of the rail base which has a firm underlying support, for example, the portion of a rail base flange which overlies the metal tie plate of a rail supporting structure. Certain embodiments of the invention also include provisions for deflecting any dislocated rigging of the car which may be dragging along the rail. An improved construction shown herein for accomplishing the above result comprises bending or otherwise forming the upper jaw of the anchor with a lateral portion which overlies the tie plate or other relatively rigid supporting structure for the rail; the jaw and the said lateral portion being so proportioned in height that a derailed car wheel (moving in a direction to strike the anchor device) will strike the higher portion of the lateral projection and thereby transmit the force of such impact to the rail supporting structure. The said lateral projection may be formed to normally provide a slight clearance between its under surface and the top surface of the rail base so as to confine the rail gripping surface of the jaw to a desirable area. Another illustrative embodiment of the invention includes an anchor jaw which is formed to normally stand perpendicular to the rail base at one side of the rail supporting member, the said jaw being adapted to be bent over, by the impact of a derailed wheel, into rengagee ment with the rail flange ata location wherein the flange is supported by the rail supporting member. The cross-sectional configuration of the jaw is such that the force of the'impact of the derailed wheel will be applied to the rail flange only at a location above the tie plate 'or other rigid member of the rail supporting structure.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the detailed description of the several embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of a rail anchor device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of the jaw end of the anchor.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the anchor device illustrated in the two preceding figures.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary plan views illustrating two modified embodiments for accom plishing the objects of this invention;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken on line 66 of Fig. 4 and line 1-1 of Fig. 5, respectively.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are side, end and plan views of another modified embodiment of the invention;

and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary View, on a reduced scale, of a further modification.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings: I0 designates a railroad rail supported on a rail sup-porting structure. The said supporting structure may be of any approved construction. It is illustrated in the drawings as compris ing an ordinary wooden cross-tie I I and a metal tie plate I2, the latter of which is interposed between the top surface of the cross-tie and the bottom surface of the rail.

The rail anchor device illustrated in the above figures is made, preferably, from a metal bar bent at one end into hook form to provide an upper jaw I3 and a lower jaw M for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of one base flange of the rail. The other end of the bar extends across beneath the rail and is formed with a suitable locking means l5 for engaging the other base flange of the rail. The underrail portion of the. bar is preferably extended downwardly from the bottom surface of the rail, for example, as indicated at Hi, to provide a portion for abutting against a side face of the cross-tie H at a substantial distance below the bottom surface of the rail. The bearing surface I! of the upper jaw l3 corresponds substantially in width to that of the lower jaw and engages the top of the rail base in substantially the same vertical plane of the lower jaw so that any turning pressure exerted on the jaws, for example, when the under-rail portion of the anchor is pressed against the cross-tie, forces the corners I8l9 of said jaws into increased gripping engagement with the rail base; The said upper jaw is also formed so that its bearing surface I! seats on the rail flange at a location spaced inwardly fromthe edge of the flange, there being a space 20 between the jaw and the top surface of the flange.

In order to shield the upper jaw i3 from the impacts of derailed wheels and from dragging rigging of a car, and thereby protect the rail base flange from the severe shearing stresses incident to such impact, the inner end of the jaw is bent laterally, as indicated at 2|, to provide an impact receiving member or leg 22 which extends substantiall-yparallel tothe jaw to the edge of the rail base flange. The said impact receiving member-'22 overlies the rail supporting surface of the tie plate l2 and is somewhat higher than the jaw portion l3. The top surface of the jaw l3 and the return bend 2| thereof are inclined downwardly toward the top of the rail base in the direction of approaching trafiic. This construction makes it practicable to minimize the height of the impact receiving member 22 and at the same time provides a suitable surface 23 adapted to deflect dislocated rigging of the car which may be dragging along the rail base flange of the rail. .The bottom surface 24 of the impact receiving member 22 is preferably spaced slightly above the top surface of the rail base so as to avoid interfering with the increased gripping action at the corners i8- -l9 of the jaws, as hereinabove described, when the under-rail portion of the anchor is pressed against the cross-tie.

The anchor device of the construction above described is applied to the rail by hooking the upper jaw I 3 of the anchor over one flange of the rail base and then driving the anchor bodily transversely of the rail until the locking shoulder l5 snaps up over the opposite edge of the rail base. The upper jaw member I3 is spread slightly relative to the lower jaw when the anchor jaw is driven upon the inclinedsurface of the rail base; The applying movement of the anchor, together with the 're'silienVte'nsion on the jaw l3 supports the locking shoulder IS in its operative position. When the anchor is in its applied position, the upper and lower jaws l3 and I4 exert a strong resilient grip on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base at one side of the rail and the under-rail portion of the anchor bears against a-vertical side face of the cross-tie H. The clearance space 20'between the bottom surface of the jaw l3 and the top surface of the rail base," adjacent the edge of the base is preferably such that, in the event that a derailed wheel assumes such angle that it will strike the outer end of the jaw in advance of the jaw shielding member 22, the jaw will bend downwardly sufficiently to permit the force of the impact to be received by the said shield portion 22.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings, the inner end of the upper jaw; 53a, instead of being bent in the manner indicated in the previous figures, is forged to provide a laterally extending portion 26 which overlies the rail base at a location above the bearing surface of the tie plate I2a. This construction, like the construction previously described, is so formed that the thickest portion 21 of the lateral projection 26 is at a location above the tie plate so that a derailed wheel 25a will come into contact with the thicker portion 21 of the lateral projection 26 at a location whereby the force of the impact will be transmitted to the rail flange at a location where the flange is firmly supported. By forging the end portion 26 of the jaw in the manner indicated, the rail engaging surface Ila. of the upper jaw can be conveniently extended a greater distance inwardly toward the inner end of the jaw than when the anchor is formed with a return bend, such as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The lateral projection of the said modified embodiment is preferably normally spaced a slight distance above the top surface of the rail base, whereby the rail engaging. surface Ila of theupper jaw is maintained at substantially the same horizontal width as the lower jaw for the same purpose as described in connection with the previous embodiment. The rail gripping portion of the upper jaw 13a can be made of any desired thickness and tapered or inclined at any suitable angle relativeto the top surface of the rail base to provide a suitable deflecting surface 23a and to insure engagement of the said derailed wheel 25a i with the highest portion 2'! of the lateral projection and at a location overlying the rail seat of the rail supporting structure.

When said derailed wheel strikes the thicker portion 21 of the jaw, the said projection will bend downwardly to engage the rail at a location above the bearing surface of the tie plate. The unsupported portion of the rail engaged by the gripping jaw portion Ila of the anchor will be protected from the strains accompanying the gaging portion of the jaw, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The top surface of said jaw, including the angularly disposed portion thereof, is inclined, as indicated at 29 in substantially the same manner as illustrated in the previous embodiment. The under surface of the angular portion 28 may be spaced slightly above the top surface of the rail base so that this portion will be brought into contact with the rail only in the event that it is subjected to downward pressure of sufficient force to bend the projection into contact with the rail. In such event the thick end portion of the jaw will-contact the rail at a location directly above the rail bearing seat of the tie plate and consequently will transmit any impact thus received to the rail supporting members Ilb and [2b.

The anchors shown in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, may correspond in other respects to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and are applied to and grip the rail base in substantially the same manner. The common features of these several embodiments are, therefore, indicated by the same reference numerals with exponents a and b.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings illustrate a modification in which the upper jaw 30 is formed substantially straight so as to overlie the rail base at one side of the rail supporting structure and at a location directly above the lower jaw I40 of the anchor. This arrangement of the said jaw 30 simplifies the forming or bending operation in connection with the manufacture of the device. The said jaw is of such height that when it is struck by a derailed wheel, as shown in outline at 250, it will bend lengthwise of the rail and its upper end portion will engage the base flange of the rail at a location overlying the tie plate H0 in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The upper portion 3| of the jaw is preferably wider than the undersurface 32 thereof so as to provide the jaw with a substantially T-shape in cross-section. Consequently, when the jaw is bent downwardly, as shown in Fig. 9, the relatively thick end portion of the jaw receives the impact of the wheels and transmits the force of such impact directly to the relatively rigid member of the rail supporting structure and thereby relieves the unsupported portion of the rail base flange from the shearing stresses which are incident to such impact. The full height of the metal of the jaw is utilized, in this embodiment, for effecting the desired grip on the rail base flange. Consequently the metal can be given a moderate temper so that it will readily bend when the jaw is struck by a derailed wheel or by dragging rigging of the car.

In other respects, the said modified device above described may correspond to the structures shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The similar parts of the device are therefore designated by the same reference numeral with the addition of the exponent c.

The anchor device shown in Fig. 11 is preferably made from a rolled metal bar whose crosssection corresponds substantially to the T-shaped jaw 3 shown in Fig. 8. One end of the bar is bent into hook form to provide upper and lower jaws 33 and 34 which grip the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base in the same manner as the previous embodiment shown in Fig. 8. The under rail portion 35 of the bar is of sufficient vertical width to provide a relatively wide tie engaging side face. This portion of the anchor, therefore, instead of being bowed downwardly from the rail, extends horizontally across beneath the rail base. The) outer end of the bar (not shown) may be formed with the locking shoulder shown in Fig. 8. The wider edge portion 36 of the bar extends along the upper edge of the jaw 33 and the jaw is of such height that it will bend over and engage the rail base at a location above the tie plate in the same manner and for the same purpose as described in connection with the bent position of the jaw shown in Fig. 9. 7

While the principles of the invention are illustrated herein in connection with certain specific embodiments it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific jaw construction shown and described or to the particular form of anchor illustrated, except insofar as specific limitations may appear in the appended claims.

I claim= V 1. A rail anchor for gripping the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail supporting structure and comprising a portion for abutting against the adjacent side face of said structure and a jaw for engaging the top surface of said base flange, the said jaw being provided with a portion for receiving the impact of a derailed wheel and adapted to engage the rail flange at a location overlying the rail supporting seat of the said structure, whereby the force of such impact is transmitted to the rail flange only at a location overlying the said rail seat.

2.A rail anchor for gripping the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail supporting structure and comprising a portion for abutting against the adjacent side face of said structure and a jaw for engaging the top surface of said base flange, the said jaw being provided with a portion for receiving the impact of a derailed wheel and adapted to be bent thereby into engagement with the rail flange at'a location overlying the rail supporting seat of the said structure, whereby the force of such impact is transmitted to the rail flange only at a location overlying the said rail seat.

3. A rail anchor for gripping the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail supporting structure and comprising a portion for abutting against the adjacent side face of said structure and a jaw for engaging the top surface of said base flange, the said jaw being provided with a portion projecting laterally therefrom to a posi-- tion overlying the rail supporting seat of said structure and being of sufficient height to receive the impact of a derailed wheel whereby the force of such impact is transmitted to the rail flange only at a location overlying the said rail seat.

4. A rail anchor for gripping the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail supporting structure and comprising a portion for abutting against the adjacent side face of said structure and a jaw for engaging the top surface of said base flange, the said jaw being provided with a portion projecting laterally therefrom to a position overlying the rail supporting seat of said structure and being of sufficient height to receive the impact of a derailed wheel and adapted to be bent thereby into engagement with the rail flange whereby the force of such impact is transmitted to the rail flange only at a. location overlying the said rail seat.

5. A rail anchor for attachment to a railroad rail comprising a portion for abutting against a side face of a rail supporting structure and having a jaw overlying the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail support, and means for shielding said jaw from impacts from derailed wheels, comprising a member overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure at one side of the jaw and being of greater height than said jaw, whereby the said member of greater height is adapted to receive and transmit the force of such impact to the rail flange only at a location overlying said rail seat.

6. A rail anchor for attachment to a railroad rail comprising an under-rail portion for engaging the bottom surface of the rail and adapted to abut against a side face of a rail supporting structure and having a jaw overlying the base flange of the rail at a location within the side planes of said under-rail portion, and means for shielding said jaw and the portion of the rail flange beneath the same from impacts from derailed wheels, comprising a member overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure at one side of the jaw and being of greater height than the said jaw, whereby the said member of greater height is adapted to receive and transmit the force of such impact to the rail flange at a location overlying said rail seat.

7. A rail anchor for attachment to a railroad rail comprising an under-rail portion for engaging the bottom surface of the rail and adapted to abut against a side face of a rail supporting structure and having a jaw overlying the base flange of the rail at a location within the side planes of said under-rail portion, and means for shielding said jaw and the portion of the rail flange beneath the same from impacts from derailed wheels, comprising a member of greater height than the jaw disposed at one side thereof and overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure to substantially the edge of the rail base, whereby substantially the full force of the impact of a derailed wheel, when striking the anchor, is received by said member of greater height.

8. A rail anchor for attachment to a railroad rail comprising an under-rail portion for engaging the bottom surface of the rail and adapted to abut against a side face of a rail supporting structure and having a jaw overlying the base flange of the rail at alocation within the side planes of said under-rail portion, and means for shielding said jaw and the portion of the rail flange beneath the same from impacts from de-- railed wheels, comprising a member projecting above the plane of the top of the jaw for engagement with a derailed wheel and adapted to be bent downwardly thereby into engagement with the rail base at a location overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure; the downwardly bendable shielding means, when in its downwardly bent position, being of suflicient height to prevent the derailed wheelfrom striking the rail gripping portion of said jaw.

9. A rail anchor comprising upper and lower jaws for. gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of a rail base at one side of a rail supporting structure, and a portion disposed laterally of said upper jaw to overlie the rail seat of said supporting structure and being sufficiently higher than the upper jaw so as to receive the impact of a derailed wheel passing over the said upper jaw and prevent the wheel from striking the latter.

10. A rail anchor comprising upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of a rail base at one side of a rail supporting structure, a portion for abutting against a side face of said supporting structure, and a portion disposed laterally of said upper jaw to overlie said rail seat of said supporting structure and being sufficiently higher than the upper jaw so as to receive the impact of a derailed wheel passing over thesaid upper jaw and prevent the wheel from striking the latter.

11. A rail anchor comprising a bar bent to provide upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of a rail base at one side of a rail supporting structure and a portion for abutting against a side face of the said rail supporting structure, there being a portion at one side of the upper jaw overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure and being sufficiently higher than the said jaw so as to receive the impact of a derailed wheel passing over the said upper jaw and prevent the wheel from striking the latter.

12. A- rail anchor comprising a bar bent to provide upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of a rail base at one side of a rail supporting structure and a portion for abutting against a side face of the said rail supporting structure, the said upper jaw being bent laterally to provide a portion overlying the rail seat of said structure, which portion is sufiiciently higher than the jaw so as to receive the impacts of derailed wheels passing over the jaw and prevent the wheel from striking the latter.

13. A rail anchor for application to a rail by movement of the anchor bodily transversely of the rail and comprising a bar bent at one end into hook form to provide upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of a rail base flange at different distances relative to the edge of said flange, an under-rail portion for bearing against a side face of the rail supporting structure, and means at the other end of the bar for engaging the other flange of the rail base; the said upper jaw being formed with a bendable portion for receiving the impact of a derailed wheel and adapted to be bent thereby into engagement with the rail base at a location overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure, whereby the unsupported portion of the rail flange is relieved from the force of such impact.

14. A rail anchor for application to a rail by movement 'of the anchor bodily transversely of the rail and comprising a bar bent at one end into hook form to provide upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom'surfaces, respectively, of a rail base flange, and an underrail portion for bearing against the side face of the rail supporting structure, and means at the other end of the bar for engaging the other flange of the rail base; the said upper jaw being bent laterally to provide a portion overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure and the top of the jaw and the lateral bend thereof being formed to provide an inclined surface adapted to deflect moving objects which may contact therewith and whereby a derailed wheel moving along the 5,

rail flange will contact only the portion of .the jaw overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure.

15. A rail anchor for application to a rail by movement of the anchor bodily transversely of the rail and comprising a bar bent at one end into hook form to provide upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of a rail base flange, an under-rail portion for bearing against the side face of the rail supporting structure, and means at the other end of the bar for engaging the other flange of the rail base; the said upper jaw being bent laterally to provide a portion overlying the rail supporting structure to substantially the edge of the rail base flange but normally out of contact therewith and the said lateral portion being of greater height than the upper jaw of the anchor so as to have initial engagement with a derailed wheel rolling along the base flange of the rail.

16. A rail anchor for application to a rail by movement of the anchor bodily transversely of the rail and comprising a bar bent at one end into hook form to provide upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of a rail base flange, and under-rail portion for hearing against the side face of the rail supporting structure, and means at the other end of the bar for engaging the other flange of the rail base; the said upper jaw being bent to provide a portion extending longitudinally of the rail to overlie the rail seat of said supporting structure and the said jaw and longitudinally extending portion being flattened to incline downwardly toward approaching traffic, whereby a derailed wheel moving along the rail flange will contact only that portion of the jaw which overlies the rail seat of said supporting structure.

17. A rail anchor for application to a rail in a position to bear against the side face of the rail supporting structure and comprising a bar formed with upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of the base portion of a rail at one side of the said rail supporting structure; the said upper jaw being flattened and extended lengthwise of the rail to a position overlying the rail seat of said supporting structure and the end of said extended portion being of greater height than the rail gripping upper jaw, whereby a derailed Wheel moving in a direction to strike the anchor will engage only said portion of greater height.

18. In combination with a railroad rail and a supporting structure therefor comprising a wooden cross-tie and a metal tie plate interposed between said cross-tie and the base portion of the rail, of a rail anchor for attachment to the rail flange at one side of the cross-tie comprising an under rail portion adapted to abut against a side face of said cross-tie, and a jaw portion overlying the top surface of the rail flange at one side of said tie and including a portion adapted to engage the rail base flange at a location overlying said tie plate; the last named portion being of greater height than the said first mentioned portion so as to receive the impact of a derailed wheel and transmit the force of such impact to the rail flange at a location overlying said tie plate.

19. In combination with a railroad rail and a supporting structure therefor comprising a wooden cross-tie and a metal tie plate interposed between said cross-tie and the base portion of the rail, of a rail anchor for attachmentto therail flange at one side of the cross-tie comprising an under rail portion adapted to abut against a side face of said cross-tie, and a jaw portion overlying the top surface of the rail at one side of said tie plate and including an upper portion thereof adapted to receive the impact from a derailed wheel and to be bent thereby into engagement with the rail base flange at a location overlying the tie plate, the said upper portion beng of sufficient thickness, when bent into engagement with the rail, to define the highest portion of the jaw for receiving such impact and thereby relieve the unsupported portion of the rail flange from the force of the impact.

HAROLD G. WARR. 

